Ditch your “Jesus phone”; churches call for screen-free Holy Week

This year's "Screen-Free Week" takes place in the run-up to Easter, and church …

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the start of the Christian "Holy Week" leading up to Easter Sunday, and an interfaith group of religious leaders want you to step away from your screens for the next seven days. "How can you hear the voice of God with the TV on so loud?" asks the So We Might See coalition.

The group, which includes the National Council of Churches, the US Catholic Conference of Bishops, and the Islamic Society of North America, is holding a "media fast" during this Holy Week. They want people to step away from smartphones, TVs, laptops, desktops, and e-readers for a week to take a "media fast"—a peculiarly modern Lenten discipline.

A top United Church of Christ minister, Jim Antal, encourages people "to enter into the 'brave old world' of unmediated connection with one another, with God’s creation, and with the God of many names." To that end, So We Might See has compiled a list of 101 screen-free activities that range form canning produce to building a wooden flower box.

Screen-Free Week taps into a growing concern that wired individuals simply have too much screen time in their lives—and that it's damaging to our relationships with those who live closest to us. This was the theme of recent (secular) books like Hamlet's BlackBerry and others; religious groups add that screen time might be hampering our connections with God, too.

While I don't think it's a bad thing to be mindful of what effects the time in front of screens can have in our lives, it seems to me that, if screen time is interfering with your relationship with God, a week away from the screen isn't really an answer.

Sort of like your marriage falling apart because you spend too much time on the computer -- one week away from the computer isn't terribly likely to help the marriage.

<tinfoil hat>I see what this is, it's an attack on the leftist media by the religious right! Sure, turn off the leftist media and read a book (like the Bible!!1!) or play a board game (like Baby Jesus Monopoly!).</tinfoil hat>

I'm assuming they make assumptions for the vast majority of people whose jobs require at least some interaction with a computer? I mean, I'm not the sort to engage in this kind of nonsense anyway...but if I did, I'd basically have to take a week off work.

The idea isn't a bad one; we could all use some time away from the glowing rectangles. But for many of us, particularly those who are here at Ars I'd imagine, this would mean taking the week off of work.

While I don't think it's a bad thing to be mindful of what effects the time in front of screens can have in our lives, it seems to me that, if screen time is interfering with your relationship with God, a week away from the screen isn't really an answer.

Sort of like your marriage falling apart because you spend too much time on the computer -- one week away from the computer isn't terribly likely to help the marriage.

What? If your marriage is falling apart because you are spending too much time on the computer, a week can do wonders to reverse the trend. It would be a great first step.

IDK- I think Christians should embrace technology. There are are a number of churches in the USA that even have services online and some of them have extremely talented people leveraging technology. I attend Church online regularly and from a strictly technology based perspective it is amazing.

People tend to get busy and distracted. Being "plugged in" all the time can have impact the relationships you have with the people around you. You've all heard the saying "stop and smell the roses," but how about "stop and engage in your relationship with God." I agree with B-Ape's "one week isn't going to fix it" comment, but sometimes it's the baby steps that lead to significant life changes.

I look at it this way. Worst case if I'm wrong as a believer? I'm worm food, end of story. Worst case for the non-believers?

While I don't think it's a bad thing to be mindful of what effects the time in front of screens can have in our lives, it seems to me that, if screen time is interfering with your relationship with God, a week away from the screen isn't really an answer.

Sort of like your marriage falling apart because you spend too much time on the computer -- one week away from the computer isn't terribly likely to help the marriage.

What? If your marriage is falling apart because you are spending too much time on the computer, a week can do wonders to reverse the trend. It would be a great first step.

Exactly. The idea isn't to fix every problem ever. It's a first step. Also, the assumption is that, after a week away, you're more cognizant of the media dependency, and better able to judge what is too much. Sure, if you only take that week off, learn nothing, then go back to behaving exactly as you were before, nothing will change. The idea is that the separation will make you behave differently once the week is over.

What about reading the bible on kindle? What is the difference between that and a book? How noisy is canning? What if I start to spend all my time canning my homemade soup take it to a famers market and sell it, create a recognised brand and make a fortune all the time not listening to god?

Anyway god is omnipotent god can make itself known throught the intertubes should it so desire. Maybe it already does with the way it allows people to communicate and rise against oppression while getting cheap mobile phone deals. Maybe God has left the silly men in their stone buildings behind because now we have the internet we don't need them to provide pastoral care as we have each other.

IDK- I think Christians should embrace technology. There are are a number of churches in the USA that even have services online and some of them have extremely talented people leveraging technology. I attend Church online regularly and from a strictly technology based perspective it is amazing.

Wholeheartedly agree. Because we just moved to a new town and haven't scoped out the local churches yet, my wife and I watch the weekly service on the internet. Even before then, when we'd go directly, I'd prefer using a bible app because it was easier to carry than a physical book (though I had to often explain that no, I wasn't using the "phone" part of the phone). Our church (Maclean Bible Church in Tysons Corner, VA) is very tech savvy and definitely fits the above.

Personally, tech should make little difference in this case. My wife's job depends on her spending extensive time on the screen - should she just quit because of this edict? Our marriage is fine, and we both use screens extensively. As someone earlier stated, if your marriage is in trouble because of the internet, stepping away for a week may not solve the problem.

A lot of self-admitted rational and "open-minded" people behaving anything but. Ironic. Stereotypying is ok, but only against some groups, I guess.

Disconnecting ourselves from our pervasive technical interactions is worthy goal, whether for God, religion, or just social interaction, most of us are too dependent on tools that should be a a supporting element in our lives, not the wellspring of our lives themselves.

My 2 cents. Anything else would be akin to crying for calm in a riot...pointless.

This is one of those discussion threads that's basically guaranteed to go from 0 to asshole in less than 3 posts.

Hmm... looks like it only took 1 post. And I'm sure Goronmon, etc. would be the first to complain about religious people trying to "convert" them. But their taking shots is fine, of course. Because they know they're right and everyone else is outside of their group.

People tend to get busy and distracted. Being "plugged in" all the time can have impact the relationships you have with the people around you. You've all heard the saying "stop and smell the roses," but how about "stop and engage in your relationship with God." I agree with B-Ape's "one week isn't going to fix it" comment, but sometimes it's the baby steps that lead to significant life changes.

I look at it this way. Worst case if I'm wrong as a believer? I'm worm food, end of story. Worst case for the non-believers?

Not a pleasant thought.

This comment is sort of the embodiment of why I have a problem with most religions. The use of scare tactics to get people to join and stay is alarming and wrong. Doesn't it bother you that your religion says that a large majority of the world is not going to get into heaven simply because they haven't drunk your particular flavor of religious cool-aid?

Doesn't matter if they are good people who do good deeds, they aren't Christian and so they will burn in hell or rot in limbo! Only god can save you but first you must ask to be saved rite? This is a perfect example of using fear to control people.

While I don't think it's a bad thing to be mindful of what effects the time in front of screens can have in our lives, it seems to me that, if screen time is interfering with your relationship with God, a week away from the screen isn't really an answer.

Sort of like your marriage falling apart because you spend too much time on the computer -- one week away from the computer isn't terribly likely to help the marriage.

What? If your marriage is falling apart because you are spending too much time on the computer, a week can do wonders to reverse the trend. It would be a great first step.

I probably made a mistake by using an analogy...it almost always is.

The problem isn't the screen. It's within yourself. If you think that going for a week without can fix that for you, you are probably mistaken.